COLUMBUS -- Gov. Ted Strickland told Farm Bureau members gathered in Columbus on Tuesday they may need to prepare for a campaign fight, should animal welfare advocates succeed in placing a constitutional amendment before voters.

The Humane Society of the United States and other groups are backing that effort, hoping to require the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, OK'd by voters last year, to implement specified rules on confinement and animal slaughter.

Strickland, who supported the formation of the statewide board last year, opposes the new ballot issue.

"It is unnecessary, and I will oppose it and I want you to know that we may need to work together once more to make sure that the work that has been accomplished is not undone by many who may be well intentioned but who do not fully understand and appreciate what has already been done to make sure that animals are dealt with in a humane manner," Strickland said.

He added, "If we want to eat and if we want to access affordable and inexpensive food, it is important for the agricultural community within our state to not be hamstrung and to have their hands tied behind their backs by those who do not fully appreciate the value of what happens on the farm."

Strickland made the comments during the Ohio Farm Bureau's annual Ag Day at the State Capitol, an event that gives members a chance to meet with lawmakers and other state officials.

The session came one week after the Ohio Ballot Board gave the green light to Ohioans for Humane Farms to gather signatures to place its anti-cruelty issue on the November ballot.

In a released statement Tuesday, Karen Minton, state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said "It's time to take action on obvious forms of abuse, such as strangling animals on the farm, dragging downer cows and keeping certain animals in lifelong confinement in cages or crates barely larger than their bodies."

She added, "Of course, we would welcome the opportunity to work with the livestock board to implement a set of real and minimum standards that will prevent the cruel and inhumane treatment of farm animals, enhance food safety, protect the environment and strengthen Ohio family farms, just as several other states have done -- including our neighbors in Michigan. While out-of-state factory farming giants bankrolled the ballot measure to create the board, we would be pleased to see it take real action to stop the abuses identified in the ballot initiative now circulating in Ohio."

The constitutional amendment would require killing livestock in a humane manner, prohibiting the strangulation of cows and pigs as a form of euthanasia.

It also would stop farmers from confining veal calves, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs in a way that prevents them from lying down, fully extending their legs or turning around freely.

And it would prohibit the sale for use as or transport of "any cow or calf too sick or injured to stand and walk" for use as food for people.

Farmers and others found guilty of not meeting the standards would face criminal penalties, including a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board would have six years to implement the standards.

Marc Kovac is the Dix Capital Bureau Chief. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at Ohio Capital Blog.